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2013 Lancashire Life Food and Drink Awards, Hilton Deansgate, Manchester

PUBLISHED: 00:00 10 December 2013

PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN COCKS AND KIRSTY THOMPSON

Lancashire Life Food Hero of the Year winner was Baxter's Original Potted Shrimps. The award was collected by Sue Baxter and Mark Smith

Lancashire Life Food Hero of the Year winner was Baxter's Original Potted Shrimps. The award was collected by Sue Baxter and Mark Smith

Archant

The Lancashire Life Food & Drink Awards is the most glittering night in the region’s culinary calendar

The Manchester Restaurant of the Year winner was The French by Simon Rogan at The Midland Hotel. The award was collected by Simon Rogan, Kamila Plonska and Adam ReidThe Manchester Restaurant of the Year winner was The French by Simon Rogan at The Midland Hotel. The award was collected by Simon Rogan, Kamila Plonska and Adam Reid

As food fights go, this was about as glitzy as they get. An audience approaching 400 dressed in glamorous gowns, black ties and dinner jackets gathered in a sumptuously decorated room to battle it out for the regions most coveted culinary awards.

The Lancashire Life and Cheshire Life Food & Drink Awards, supported by our main sponsors Robinsons Brewery, provide the only competition showcasing the best across the Lake District, Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales.

Locally smoked peppered mackerel and soft herb cheesecake with smoked salmon, toasted almonds and pancetta crispLocally smoked peppered mackerel and soft herb cheesecake with smoked salmon, toasted almonds and pancetta crisp

And once again, we hit the heights by selecting as our venue the contemporary Hilton Hotel in Manchesters Deansgate, based in the 47-storey Beetham Tower.

The Deansgate Suite was the venue for a fun-packed main event with guests welcomed by Louise Allen-Taylor, the editor of Cheshire Life, and Roger Borrell, editor of Lancashire Life.

Roger told guests: Lancashire Life and Cheshire Life are the regions biggest and best magazines and we take enormous pride in the food sections of our respective publications.

Louise added: Covering your success stories spreads the word far and wide that our region has the best chefs, the best hotels, the best pubs and the best food producers. Whether you go away with an award or leave as a runner-up, you are among the best in Britain. So well done!

Rhiannon Wragg, regional publisher for the magazine group, said: The food and drink industry is not only important to Cheshire Life and Lancashire Life but to the economy of the region as a whole. It provides work for and estimated 200,000 men and women and helps forge careers for countless young people. Many of its key businesses are here tonight including our generous sponsors who have made this evening possible.

Im particularly delighted that Robinsons Brewery are our main sponsors in what is a truly amazing year for them. Theyre celebrating 175 years in business. A truly remarkable achievement. Even more remarkable was the fact that they were also newly-crowned national Beer Champions and Family Business of the Year.

Before the ceremony, the Hiltons head chef David Gale and his team prepared a stunning meal of smoked peppered mackerel, braised shin beef and a mango and lime delice with a passion fruit glaze. Dishes of glorious cheese from the regions producers completed a memorable meal.

Extra glamour came from host Claire Smith, who has travelled the globe as a roving travel reporter with CNN and Sky TV. She and Roger Borrell presented the awards to a host of excited figures from the hospitality industry with the top award of Outstanding Achievement going to Simon Rogan, the chef who created the LEnclume phenomena in Cartmel and now also oversees another winner, the French restaurant at the Midland in Manchester.

There were equally happy winners who didnt make it onto the stage. A stunning selection of raffle prizes - including a trip to the ancient desert city of Petra donated by Journeys of Distinction - raised well over 3,000 for Jump childrens charity, which creates photographic memories for youngsters with life-threatening illnesses.

Drinks reception

Canaps served with Montelvini Superiore Asolo Prosecco DOCG and Dizzy Blonde beer.

Supplied by Robinsons Brewery

To start

Locally smoked peppered mackerel and soft herb cheesecake with smokes salmon, toasted almonds and pancetta crisp.

Fish supplied by the Lune Valley Smokehouse.

(V) Toasted Lancashire rarebit with soft boiled egg salad and red onion confit.

For main

Braised Cheshire reared shin of beef with bone marrow crumble, mashed potato, squash pure and red wine jus.

Beef supplied by Cheerbrook Farm Shop

(V) Mushroom ravioli with basil cream sauce, garlic spinach and toasted pine nuts.

Dessert

Mango and lime delice, passion fruit glaze, lime fruit pastille, tropical fruit gel, crme fraiche sorbet, coconut tuile.

Supplied by RFW Events

Cheeseboard

Original Reserve mature Cheddar, Red Leicester with Geetas Indian Mango Chutney, Kidderton Ash, Traditional Lancashire, Blacksticks Blue.

Supplies by Joseph Helers Cheeses and Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses

Coffee & Petit Fours

Dinner Wines

Frederico Pinot Grigio Collezione

Monte Carbonero Tinto

Wines supplied by and exclusive to Robinsons Brewery

Roll of honor - Click the categories to see video interviews and the shortlists

Lancashire Dining Pub
Sponsored by Fiddlers Crisps
The Cartford Inn, Little Eccleston

Lakeland Dining Excellence
Sponsored by Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses
The General Burgoyne, Ulverston

Lancashire Hotel of the Year
Sponsored by The Linen Group
The Royal Hotel, Kirkby Lonsdale

Liverpool Restaurant
Sponsored by Precious Things
The Italian Club Fish

Lakeland Hotel of the Year
Sponsored by Lune Valley Smokehouse
Merewood Country House Hotel, Windermere

Lancashire Restaurant of the Year
Sponsored by Whitehouse Crockery
Angels, Ribchester

Manchester Restaurant of the Year
Sponsored by Journeys of Distinction
The French by Simon Rogan at The Midland

Lancashire Food Hero
Sponsored by Dough 2B Different
Baxters Original Potted Shrimps

Oustanding Achievement
Sponsored by Robinsons Brewery
Simon Rogan

2013 Cheshire Life and Lancashire Life Food & Drink Awards

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